Cleaners for spatulas



O 1958 r J. w. STVEINDORF 2,861,288

' CLEANERS FOR SPATULAS Filed; Aug. 23, 1957 INVENTOR. JACK W. STEINDORF 2,861,288 CLEANERS FOR SPATULAS Jack W. Steindorf, Corvallis, Oreg. Application August 23, 1957, Serial No. 679,878 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-236) This invention relates to blade cleaners, and more particularly to cleaners for spatulas, especially for use by cooks in restaurants and the like, and is an improvement over U. S. Patent No. 2,707,299 of May 3, 1955.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved scraping device for blades such as spatulas for removing grease or burnt particles therefrom, either before or after using the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a blade cleaning device having scraping jaws that are removable from the supporting bracket for cleansing or reconditioning and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a scraping device that is removably mounted on a special base plate, which is secured to a supporting object.

Still another object of the invention is to provide bumper means against which the edge of the blade rests while being moved through the scraper.

Yet another object is to provide a blade cleaning device having simplicity of design, economy of construction and efficiency in operation.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my new and improved blade cleaner;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2.-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View, partially in section, of the base of the device, partially withdrawn from the holding bracket;

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of one of the scraping blades removed from the device, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the fixed supporting base with the scraper device removed therefrom.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a blade cleaning device in accordance with the present invention is particularly intended for use as a cleaner for spatulas and comprises a movable base 1, having vertical standards 2 fixedly secured thereto by any suitable means, as for instance spot welds 3 or the like. These vertical standards are made relatively rigid by means of ribs 4 running longitudinally thereof. The standards 2 are bent towards one another along the line 5 and again bent upwardly along the line 6, providing vertical tongues 7 to which are removably attached the scraping blades 8. The blades 8 are attached to the tongues 7 by means of loops 9 punched from the blades 8 and adapted to fit over the tongues 7. The planes of the tongues 7 are each formed at an angle to the longitudinal center line of the device, as best illustrated in Figure 2, and therefore the blades 8 are angularly disposed relative to each other with the forward edges 10 of the blades 8 engaged together with a slight pressure. The engagement of the blades causes them to bear against the outer surfaces of a blade or spatula S drawn between them to remove grease or other foreign matter therefrom. The

ted States Patent ice upper ends 8 of the blades 8 are flared apart to facilitate insertion of the spatula between the blades.

Passing through the vertical standards 2 is a trans verse rod or bolt 11. This bolt is adapted to pass through openings 12 in the blades 8 and through openings 13 in the standards 2 and receives a wing nut 14. By adjusting the wing nut 14 on bolt 11, the pressure of the edges 10 of the blades 8 against one another is varied. A resilient stop 15, preferably made from rubber or plastic, is supported by the rod or bolt 11 between the blades 8 and limits the downward movement of the lower edge of the spatula S when placing the same between the blades 8.

A permanent or stationary base 16 is adapted to hold the device on a supporting surface, the base 16 being secured to the supporting surface 17, such as a table, by means of screws 18. The base 16 has vertical upwardly extending side walls 19 provided with vertical bends 20 forming a channel-way 21 along each side of the base. These channels are adapted to receive the up-turned vertical side walls 22 which form part of the base 1 of the device.

In the operation of this new and improved cleaner for spatulas or other blade devices, the base 1 of the device is entered into the channel-ways 21 of the permanent or stationary base 16 and moved to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The wing nut 14 is adjusted to provide the proper tension between the edges 10 of the scraping blades 8 and the particular spatula being used. As shown in Figure l, a spatula S in inserted and supported between the blades 8 while not in use, making it handy for the operator to grasp the handle H of the spatula and draw it longitudinally between the blades 8 when its use is desired. After use, the operator can place the spatula between the upper ends 8' of the blades 8 and force it down between the edges 10. Then by simply drawing the spatula back and forth, the grease or other foreign matter will be scraped therefrom by the blades 8, the grease and matter dripping down into a receiving pan 23, shown in Figure 1 in broken lines, nested in the bases 1 and 16. The drip pan 23 is of a length to underlie the whole spatula blade S while the latter is supported in the device. Although a certain specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is notto be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for cleaning flat tools such as spatulas, knives or the like, comprising a fiat base having vertical standards fixedly secured to the sides thereof in parallel relation to each other, said standards having portions bent toward one another and vertical tongues on said bent portions, said tongues being inclined toward each other to provide an acute angle between them and a pair of flat, juxtaposed, confronting, spaced-apart scraping blades supported on said tongues, the improvement comprising each blade including a loop removably mounted on its nearest tongue; and a bolt passing through both the blades and the vertical standards for retaining said blade loops on said tongues while regulating the pressure between said blades and forming stop means for a fiat tool when it is passed between the blades for cleaning.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, the improvement comprising a resilient stop member on said bolt between 1 the lower portions of the scraping blades for engagement by a tool.

Hecke "July 11, 1916 Steindorf et al May 3, 1955 

